Orange Banners
Orange banners cover a wide variety of subjects.
Banners are classified into various categories: Biblical,
buildings, Home Rule, miscellaneous, historical, personalities,
Reformation, Royalty, troubles, old flags and banners, Williamite,
world wars, and industrial (for Belfast Lodges with associations
to heavy or skilled industry, e.g. air yard, shipwrights,
naval, etc.).
The banner of Killaloo
True Blues L.O.L.621
depicting King William III crossing the Boyne.
Biblical depictions are fairly popular, emphasising the religious
aspect of the Orange Order and the source is often the Old
Testament. Examples of Biblical subjects are Moses and the
Tablets of Stone, David slaying Goliath, Joshua making a convenant
with the People of Israel, Aaron's Rod, Elijah fed by the
ravens at the brook Cherith, all Old Testament scripture;
and from the New Testament - St. Paul in chains at Rome and
The Good Shepherd (as Christ spoke of himself).
Buildings often hold particular significance for a Lodge,
often representing an area from which members are drawn, and
occasionally used when members working away from their home
town form a Lodge elsewhere. Some examples of building depicted
on banners are Caledon Castle, Colebrooke House, Martyrs'
Memorial Free Presbyterian Church, First Monaghan Presbyterian
Church, St. Columb's Cathedral, and Culmore Parish Church.
The banner of Bessbrook Star of Hope Temperance L.O.L.927,
depicts Derrymore House, where the Act of
Union was signed in 1800.
Derrymore
House, Bessbrook
where the Act of Union was signed
in 1800 -
as depicted on the Banner of Bessbrook
Star of Hope
Temperance L.O.L. 927
The area of Home Rule is particularly interesting as it commemorates
the turbulent years surrounding the Third Home Rule Bill which
became law just before the outbreak of the First World War,
and includes such events as the formation of the Ulster Volunteers
and the signing of the Ulster Covenant in 1912. Indeed, one
of the Lodges, Ulster Convention, depicts on its banner Sir
Edward Carson and Captain James Craig signing the convenant
at the City Hall, Belfast on September 28, 1912.
Banners classified as miscellaneous depict a variety of subjects.
Some represent Northern Ireland's support of the Union and
the link with Britain, such as the British Bulldog or Britannia
or even a map of Northern Ireland, representing its integrity
and separation from the rest of Ireland.
The historical classification examines the formation of the
Orange Order itself after the Battle of the Diamond in 1795.
Dan Winter's inn was attacked by a group of Roman Catholic
Defenders who were put to flight by a smaller group of Protestants,
and Dan Winter's Cottage is depicted on two banners (Diamond
Grange and Mealough Old Standard).
Many personalities hold particular place or have close association
with Lodges or may be chosen for the contribution to the cause
of Ulster in history. Among banner subjects included here
are Sir James Craig, Lord Brookeborough, the Earl of Erne,
Field Marshal Sir Henry Wilson, Sir Edward Carson, Oliver
Cromwell, William Johnston of Ballykilbeg, and Sir Winston
Churchill.
The Reformation category celebrates the gradual dissatisfaction
and split from Roman Catholic doctrine by such reformers as
the German, Martin Luther in the 1520's, who laid the basis
for further Reformation teachings. Featured on relevant banners
are Luther nailing his thesis to the church door at Wittenburg,
Luther burning the papal bull against himself, two Protestant
martyrs drowned at Wigtown Bay in Scotland, and William Tyndale's
Bible.
Royalty have a place on Orange banners, expressing the loyalty
which members as British subjects feel towards the throne
and monarchy. Subjects are William and Mary's Coronation in
1689, Prince Albert (husband of Queen Victoria), King George
VI, and Queen Victoria herself.
The
banner of Altnaveigh Memorial L.O.L.37
(Newry District)
remembering the massacre of seven Protestants
by the I.R.A. at Altnaveigh in 1921-22.
What we refer to as the Troubles have become a regrettable
part of Ulster life since 1968 and inevitably some of the
events have found their way on to the banners. Quite a number
of murdered U.D.R. members were members of the Orange Order,
Altnaveigh (Newry District) and Tullyvallen (Newtownhamilton)
Lodges depict the massacre of its members by republican groups
in 1922 and 1975 respectively.
A separate classification has been given to old flags or
banners which are steeped in history. Some associations with
the Siege of Derry and one from Lagananny is associated with
the skirmish at Dolly's Brae in 1849.
Williamite banners are not surprisingly the most popular
and frequently occurring, as the Order takes its name from
the Prince of Orange. The most popular subject is William
crossing the Boyne and other variations are William and Schomberg
at the Boyne, the Battle of Enniskillen, the death of Schomberg,
William's escape with wounding only at the Boyne, defence
of Derry's Walls, the Battle of Aughrim in 1691, the Mountjoy
breaking the boom at Derry, and William leaving Hillsborough
Castle on his way to the Boyne.
World Wars are important to the Orange Order, because of
the loyalty of Northern Ireland in both wars and the sacrifice
of many Ulstermen in the cause of freedom. The Normandy landings
are depicted, as are the 36th Ulster Division at the Somme,
a tale of heroism now legendary in Ulster.
The
banner of Great Northern True Blues L.O.L.964
(Sandy Row District)
depicting the train carrying King
Edward VII
arriving at Finaghy embankment in
Belfast.
The industrial classification expresses the association between
the Orange Order and the various skills and trades which have
played an important part in the economic life of the Province.
Various categories of tradesmen have formed themselves into
Lodges: The Great Northern True Blues, a Sandy Row Lodge drawn
from railway employees, depicts on its banner the train carrying
King Edward VII arriving at Finaghy embankment during a visit
to Belfast.
The list of Lodge banners is not exhaustive. There are other
subjects and new ones may appear. They may be historical or
topical and will probably be linked to the history of Northern
Ireland or the Reformed Faith.
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